Have you been looking for ways to advance your career? While you could look into changing careers, there are often more effective ways to advance within your current position. If you’re interested in becoming a manager, you may be aware that it involves more than just having more authority over your co-workers and employees; it requires different skill sets than the ones required of an individual contributor. The following list of 10 skills should help you get started on developing the necessary competencies to become a manager in today’s competitive job market.
1) Define Your Management Style
One of your first steps as a new manager should be identifying what type of manager you want to be. Are you more comfortable with giving feedback over providing guidance? Would you rather delegate responsibility or make sure things get done? Your ideal management style is unique, but by developing your own set of standards and preferences, you’ll find it easier to develop an approach that works for everyone on your team. The first step is establishing good working relationships—the rest will fall into place.
2) Delegate Tasks and Responsibilities
As a manager, it’s not your job to perform every task. Instead, you need to assign tasks and responsibility as needed. This way, everyone on your team has something specific they are accountable for. When delegating tasks, consider how much time and attention you should spend overseeing each person’s work; you don’t want people becoming too dependent on you so that they don’t develop skills of their own! If you find yourself checking in too often or having trouble getting others do what needs done, be sure to look at how many responsibilities you’ve assigned them as well as how much authority/power you’ve given them.
3) Strive for Objectivity
One of your primary responsibilities as a manager is to be an effective leader. That’s tough, because it means you need to hire people who are smarter than you, deal with irrationally frustrated employees, and generally do what’s best for everyone. It’s hard work when you don’t always know what that is. Luckily, objectivity is something that can be learned; ask questions and listen to your team members’ answers. Try and take their perspectives into account while also keeping their emotions in mind. If they’re angry or passionate about something, chances are there’s a reason—and figuring out how much stock you should put in each factor will only make you more well-rounded as a leader.
4) Listen More Than You Speak
It’s important to communicate clearly, but that doesn’t mean you need to be in charge of every conversation. Being an effective manager means being in tune with what your team members are thinking and what they want. Give them time to speak and try not to interrupt; also, when it’s your turn, consider letting them know how their input has impacted your decision making. Letting go of control can be scary for leaders who are used to doing things their way, but in most cases it’s worth being open-minded so you can get a wider range of perspectives. Not only will they feel heard—they may even return the favor next time!
5) Anticipate Potential Problems
Part of being an effective manager means anticipating potential problems and coming up with ways to avoid them. While you may not be able to control everything that happens in your department, you can work on identifying potential hazards, such as scheduling mishaps or missing essential paperwork. By staying one step ahead of any potential problems, you’ll be well-positioned to prevent most setbacks from happening. No matter how good you are at your job, it’s impossible for anyone else on your team—or even management—to know what is going through your head at any given time. That’s why it’s so important for new managers to make sure they share their concerns with others when there is an issue at hand.
6) Work Well with Others
Being a manager means you’ll spend most of your time working with other people. If you want to become an effective leader, then it’s imperative that you can communicate effectively and understand how and why others react in certain ways. For example, it’s easy for people who work in different offices or locations across the globe to appear disconnected or disorganized—but it could be that those individuals just haven’t had enough time together in person. If you have trouble collaborating effectively with others, plan group meetings in which everyone discusses their projects from both a personal and professional perspective. Then take that feedback back to your employees and see if they feel like they’re getting what they need from collaboration (and vice versa). And remember: don’t forget about yourself!
7) Display Charisma
When you manage other people, it’s vital that they trust your judgment and respect your ideas. If you’re not naturally well-liked or if people don’t feel confident in your abilities, there are ways to create rapport with colleagues. To build instant trust with employees, learn their names, remember their birthdays (or significant events) and make eye contact when communicating. Additionally, try setting aside 10 minutes every few days for one-on-one chats with employees; take these opportunities to make professional connections but also ask questions like How was your weekend? or What did you have for dinner last night? Sometimes it’s just small talk — but it goes a long way towards developing bonds between coworkers.
8) Continuously Learn New Things
Being a manager is more than just making sure work gets done and knowing how to get it done; it’s also about staying abreast of new trends, technologies, and strategies that can better your team. If you want to be an effective leader, then you need to continuously develop yourself by learning new things, applying them at work, and sharing them with your team. It’s not just one part of skill development that makes someone great at their job—it’s everything combined. Whether it’s public speaking or becoming an expert in a new software program or business strategy; keep on top of things and use each new thing you learn as an opportunity for growth.
9) Don’t Take Criticism Personally
If you’re going to be a successful manager, one of your most valuable skills will be your ability to take criticism. In fact, it’s critical that you develop the habit of filtering out (or re framing) negative feedback and building on what’s working in order to identify areas where you can improve. While there are many effective ways of giving constructive criticism (and perhaps an equal number of ineffective ways), all effective managers have mastered these four fundamentals: 1) define why change is necessary; 2) focus on solutions, not problems; 3) give positive feedback and 4) when necessary, offer help for improvement. Try following these steps when delivering criticism and let us know how it goes!
10) Empower Others.
If you’re part of a team, help your co-workers succeed by empowering them. Take time out of your day to help teach them skills they need, offer constructive feedback and praise when they do something well, and keep an eye out for ways that they can be successful. Doing these things will not only enhance their ability to do their job better but also empower them with confidence in themselves. With your guidance and support, team members are more likely to want to work with you because they feel supported instead of intimidated. Click here to learn more about leadership psychology.
